Album: Disappearing Act
Artist: Annalies Tang
Released: January 31, 2024, Ska Punk International
Disappearing Act is the first sonic offering from Ska Punk band Annalies Tang. The EP consists of 4 songs and each one is a musical treat. Classic Ska guitar, catchy horns, lyrical storytelling and fabulous vocal performance makes each song an experience.
I really cannot say enough about it other than, “do you like vengeful ghosts?” I sure do! and “Emilio” delivers a haunting and rather charming story about the song’s namesake, a ghost who brings blood curdling justice to shitty dude bros for their toxic dude bro behavior. Annalies sings of various torments while spunky drumbeats, chipper ska guitar and the swankiest horns on the album accompany her. The juxtaposition of the grim lyrics and the music make it clear that you aren’t supposed to be scared but instead enjoy the spectacle of it all in a horror comedy kind of way. The song ends with the line: “May she [Emilio] rest in peace cause she’s a cool ghost” and I definitely agree. Emilio is very cool. This song is easily my favorite on the album. “Jasmine Tea” brings the best showcase of Annalies’s vocal performance. Her voice is powerful yet ethereal. A combination that is stunning and beautiful. The horns throughout the song work hand in hand with the vocal performance to add even more power to it. The song’s narrative is about Annalies’s struggles with the stereotypes of Asian women that are often thrust upon her by men. However, this is not a woe is me song. The power of the vocals and in music make it clear, this is a call out song. If you’re the kind of guy featured in the song, you have been put on notice. The message of self-healing, perseverance and love, found in “Crystals and Herbs” is super meaningful in today’s current social landscape. Towards the end of the song, Annalies does this little lyrical trick that I am hoping is intentional. During the song she sings “I love you” and then repeats herself but the second time she says, “We love you”. The result is this moment where the listener feels drawn into a sense for community and belonging. This is a great punctuation to the end of the song, as it continues to completion continuing the themes of belonging and community. This song brings a lot of joy to me, and I can’t get enough of it.
Annalies Tang’s Disappearing Act presents a level of maturity in sound and narrative storytelling that greatly surpasses expectations. In fact, I would say the way the music and lyrics work together obtains a cinematic feeling that elevates the storytelling to some of the greatest found on any modern ska album in recent years.
This review was originally posted on February 23, 2024 on the former LFDH substack.
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